1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of business management and more particularly to a system and method for value chain management.
2. Background of the Invention
A value chain represents the flow of a product or service from a raw materials stage to the final point of consumption. Activities that are part of a value chain include the design, production, marketing, sale, delivery, and support of a product or service. The value chain for a typical product includes numerous entities that perform one or more of these activities. However, the typical value chain is plagued by inefficiencies caused by a lack of communication and collaboration by these entities. For example, the enterprises in a value chain typically use serial planning and communication techniques, meaning that only entities that are “adjacent” to one another in the value chain communicate with and plan around each other.